FAIRVIEW — It's been a time of change for the congregations of the Fairview and Petrolia Presbyterian churches. They've gotten a new interim pastor and they are in the middle of switching churches.

The Rev. Harper Brady took over Oct. 20 as interim pastor at the two churches.

The churches themselves have been dismissed from the Presbyterian Church USA and have applied to join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

Brady replaces former Pastor Scott Bunting, who left in June 2012.

“The two churches have been without a pastor for over a year,” said Brady. “They've had lay preachers filling in on Sunday mornings.

“The two churches have been yoked together for a very long time,” said Brady.

“I think this (Fairview) church has 35 members, and the Petrolia church might have around 50 members,” said Brady. “Part of what I am doing here in my first days is to get a clearer picture.”

Brady said he will tend to pastoral care, preaching and leading Sunday worship at the two churches: 9:30 a.m. at Petrolia and 11 a.m. at Fairview.

Brady himself lives in Monroeville and makes the commute to the Petrolia/Fairview area three days a week plus Sunday.

“I signed a six-month contract. Interims can last for a significant amount of time, a year or two or even more,” said Brady.

When asked if he might consider a permanent position at the two churches, Brady said, “They (the congregations) asked me that too. I said, 'Let's not even go there.' We have some interim work that needs to be done. It is premature to consider it at this point.”

Brady said one consideration is that his wife, Maggie, works in Pittsburgh as an interpreter for the deaf.

“So one of us has to commute,” he said.

However, he added, “I am 58. I still have some years to go serving the church.”

Brady was born to Presbyterian missionaries in Japan, growing up in that country as one of six children.

He attended King College in Bristol, Tenn., where he met and married his college sweetheart.

They have been married for more than 35 years and have two sons and five grandchildren.

And just as the Fairview and Presbyterian congregations are seeking a new home, so was Brady.

Brady was pastor at Concord Presbyterian Church in Baden, a position he held for more than 20 years. He became pastor at Hillcrest United Presbyterian Church in Monroeville in 2010 and resigned from the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America in January to join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

“In February, for reasons of conscience, I left the church in Monroeville and I have been without a calling since then,” he said.

“Another big piece as to why I'm here is these two churches have been recently been dismissed from the Presbyterian Church USA,” said Brady. “They are in transition status to join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.”

The two churches are undergoing a period of examination that will precede a decision by the Evangelical Presbyterians on whether or not to accept the congregations into the church.

“I was made aware of the situation and contacted the folks here to see if they were interested and now we're moving ahead,” said Brady.

“Most churches here in this area are PCUSA,” said Brady. “The theological reasons for the switch is that PCUSA is too liberal for them. It was the congregations' decision.”

“At the root, in my opinion, is theology. It plays out in the social issues and in the work of Christ,” Brady said.

“I think the Evangelical Presbyterians have more theological clarity,” he said.

Alan Adams, executive presbyter of the Beaver-Butler Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, based in Zelienople, declined to comment.

Bruce Allison, the stated clerk of the Presbytery of the Alleghenies, based at North Park Church in Wexford, said, “Essentially there is the PCUSA and there is the Evangelical Presbyterians. There are certain differences between them.

“There are differences in theology between them, which leads to different social positions related to marriage,” said Allison. “Some of those differences we just can't be comfortable with. We seek belief systems that are better aligned with ours.

“The PCUSA has dismissed the two churches, and they are seeking to be received by us. It's not terribly complicated,” said Allison. He said the process could take as long as five months.

Brady said of his main goal during his pastorship at Petrolia and Fairview, “I want to give stability and consistency, give them some pastoral aid and help them make the transition to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.”